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Editors' Review

WinZip gives you the ability to compress any group of files quickly, and then burn them to a disk or email them directly from the app. Through its intuitive interface, WinZip makes these features accessible to users of all skill levels, and it runs quickly and smoothly.

Pros

Excellent interface: Even if you've never used a program like this before, you'll have no problem finding your way around in WinZip. The main screen lays out your options clearly, and to add files to an archive, you can just drag and drop them in. The archive is zipped automatically, and a little bar graph at the top shows you how much space the files take up zipped versus unzipped.

Password protection: If you opt to ZIP and email all at once, you can also choose the Encrypt option and include password protection on one or all of your files. This is a handy addition, and a nice way to safeguard important documents and sensitive communications.

Cons

Not free: While you can use WinZip for free during the 45-day trial period, you will eventually have to purchase a license for $29.95 if you want to continue using it indefinitely.

Bottom Line

WinZip delivers exactly what it promises. It's not packed with features, but the features it does have are exactly the ones you're looking for in an app of this type. And since it's free to try for an extended period, there's no reason not to check it out to see if it will work for you.

Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of WinZip Mac 3.0

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Publisher's Description

File sharing app that makes it simple to manage, protect and share files across email and the cloud. With direct support for Dropbox and Google Drive, powerful file protection and a legendary Zip engine. WinZip Mac 3 integrates with the Mac OS X Quick Look tool, enabling you to browse the contents of a Zip file before it is unzipped. With support for Zip, Zipx, RAR, LHA, 7Z, JAR, and WAR formats, WinZip makes it easy to open any compressed file you receive, regardless of the platform it was created on. With WinZip apps for Mac, iPad and iPhone, WinZip makes it safe and easy to share files on all your favorite Apple devices.

What's new in this version:

Secure sharing in the cloud: With direct support for Dropbox and Google Drive, protect your files before they are uploaded to the cloud with 128- or 256-bit AES encryption. Zip files in your accounts, save zipped files to your accounts, and unzip files to your accounts directly from WinZip. Save on storage costs by zipping the files you store and share.

Manage your cloud accounts: View and organize the files you've saved on Dropbox and Google Drive. Use the new Cloud Picker to ...
See all new features &raquo

But a very good one-trick-pony. Very easy to use and whoever says it's confusing or "inconveniently designed" hasn't taken their time to look at it for a little while longer. Everything is self-explanatory.

Cons

A good program to work with. It can't do a whole lot else than unzipping .rar, but that's already a lot on a mac!

You can not rename files once they are zipped. I head a migraine headache when I finished doing three zips and now I find out I have to start all over again due to a spelling error on a folder inside the zip rather than being able to just rename the file.

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Full Specifications

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What's new in version 3.0

Secure sharing in the cloud: With direct support for Dropbox and Google Drive, protect your files before they are uploaded to the cloud with 128- or 256-bit AES encryption. Zip files in your accounts, save zipped files to your accounts, and unzip files to your accounts directly from WinZip. Save on storage costs by zipping the files you store and share.

Manage your cloud accounts: View and organize the files you've saved on Dropbox and Google Drive. Use the new Cloud Picker to see your cloud files, rename files and folders, delete files, add zipped files and more - all from within WinZip.

New! Cloud Links: Quickly send links to your cloud files by email.

Updated UI and new shortcuts: Context-sensitive toolbars display the right tools for zipping and unzipping, working with your cloud accounts, and sending Cloud Links. New shortcuts speed your workflow as you save, zip and share.